I enjoy walking in all its forms, from a simple stroll in the woods to multi-day backpack excursions. Though by no means an extreme ultra-light enthusiast, from spring to fall my preference is to carry a pack weight (before food and water) of 12 lb (5.5 kg), more or less. In recent years, I've rapidly moved to a philosophy of "lighter is better," within the constraints of budget and common sense.

Receipt
The pack was received in good order. It has one descriptive hang-tag and no other attached information.

Initial Impressions
I have used a number of lightweight daypacks over the years, but this is the lightest I have yet carried. Surprisingly, it is also among the most fully featured, perhaps because I tend towards the minimalist in such gear. The numerous pockets have obvious potential for keeping odds and ends close to hand. The pocket high on the body looks like an excellent place to store a GPS, which will fit there with room to spare. The waistband pockets will also work for this, something I have already tested.

My first move was to see if the pack is large enough to carry all the odds and ends that I use in the course of a hiking day, or otherwise carry as precautions. It is large enough, and then some. In fact, I have found that I can fit a lightweight sleeping bag (in compression sack), and a structured tarp with a pole, with room left over for jacket, cook gear, and a moderate amount of food and water, making this pack potentially adequate for overnights provided the gear used is lightweight. Given the fact that it is arriving near the beginning of winter, when heavier gear is needed for a margin of safety, I may not be able to fully test its potential for this purpose, unless we have a milder spell.

Though the body of the pack is too short for the poles used in my structured tarp, they can be made to fit in diagonally by allowing them to protrude slightly from the hydration port (there is still room for the hydratioin tube). The website mentions the pack in conjunction with Terra Nova's very lightweight Laser Photon Elite tent, which (in conjunction with the mention of "one or two day events" on the hang-tag) leads me to think that it may be designed for more than day trips.

This is a pack of rather complex design, very well executed. The quality of manufacture is impressive; no loose threads, superbly sewn. When filled, the main body is approximately teardrop in shape, constructed from a fabric barely heavier than silnylon, although with a sturdier nylon base. It fits me well, despite the fact that I am by no means skinny. With the shoulder straps near full length, the waistbelt sits a bit higher than is customary, but this isn't likely to be an issue for a pack intended for such light loads (or so I hope) For carrying in this manner (rather than higher on my body) I may need to reposition the chest strap; the shoulder straps have provision for this adjustment, with at least four loops for adjusting the chest strap position.

The bottle pockets are quite low in volume, clearly designed for a soda bottle or equivalent. The hydration sleeve in the interior of the back is large enough to take a fairly large bladder of Platypus type, so I will likely be using bottles, but periodically refilling them from the bladder within, or simply using a hydration tube from the interior, weather permitting.

The mesh pockets are sizable enough to fit a windshirt or even a low volume insulated piece, and still have room for some snacks. The hipbelt pockets, which have neat tabbed string pulls (as do all the zips and cords), look handy for low-volume essentials, or even a spare pair of socks. The compression system is fairly standard of its kind; a thin elasticized cord passes through a number of triangular urethane tabs outfitted with holes, and is tightened by use of a cord-lock. From past experience, I know that I need to be careful of projecting cords, which can snag on brush. I was interested to see an extra set of the urethane tabs with holes near the top of the zip, which would seem to allow for the attachment of a piece of lightweight gear with a thin cord.

The pack is completely frameless, and most of the rear is lined with mesh to enhance breathability. It is far too small for a Z-Rest or similar pad to be used inside for structure, but this is just fine in a daypack, or for that matter an overnight pack carried with a light load. When folded down into a ball, the pack will just fit in the pocket of the jacket I am wearing as I write this (one that I often wear on the trail).

From preliminary wearing (just around the house and yard), the pack seems very comfortable indeed, even with a fairly full load. It hugs my body well, without any swaying or play. It looks perfectly adequate for winter dayhikes on trail, cross-country skiing, and a wide range of similar activities, I will report on my experiences in the coming months.

This concludes my initial report on the Laser 20 L pack. I sincerely thank Terra Nova and Backpackgeartest for the opportunity to test this interesting piece of lightweight gear.

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 2.

>
> Here ya go:
>
> TERRA NOVA LASER 20L PACK
> TEST SERIES BY EDWARD RIPLEY-DUGGAN
> INITIAL REPORT
> October 31, 2009
>
> INITIAL REPORT: October 31, 2009
>
> FIELD REPORT: in early January 2010
>
> LONG-TERM REPORT: in March 2010
>
> TESTER INFORMATION
> NAME: Edward Ripley-Duggan
> EMAIL: erd@...
> AGE: 55
> LOCATION: Catskills, New York State
> GENDER: M
> HEIGHT: 6' 0" (1.85 m)
> WEIGHT: 215 lb (97.50 kg)
>
> I enjoy walking in all its forms, from a simple stroll in the woods to multi-day backpack excursions. Though by no means an extreme ultra-light enthusiast, from spring to fall my preference is to carry a pack weight (before food and water) of 12 lb (5.5 kg), more or less. In recent years, I've rapidly moved to a philosophy of "lighter is better," within the constraints of budget and common sense.
>
> INITIAL REPORT
>
> PRODUCT INFORMATION AND SPECIFICATIONS
>
> Manufacturer: Terra Nova
> Year of Manufacture: 2009
> Manufacturer's Website: http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/
> MSRP: £55
> Listed weight: 328 g (11.6 oz)
> Measured weight: 340 g (12 oz) (N.B. equivalent to listed weight within the accuracy of my scale)
> Stated volume: 20 L (on website)
> Stated use (from tag): Lightweight day use, adventure races, one or two day events and mountain biking
> Features (from examination)
> Belts and straps: contoured hip belt, mesh lined shoulder straps, removable chest strap with integral whistle
> Back: contoured back, with spacer mesh on the back panel and shoulder straps
> Body: Lime-green ripstop nylon with full length water resistant central zipper
> Pockets: two bottle pockets on hip belt, two zipped hip belt pockets, two mesh stow pockets, zipped top pocket on body of pack, and internal hydration sleeve
> Other features: outlet for hydration tube with retaining elastics for tube on shoulder straps, compression elastics for body and main stow pockets, small reflective loop on rear for nighttime visibility
>
> TERRA NOVA LASER 20L PACK
>
> Front of pack
>
>
> Receipt
> The pack was received in good order. It has one descriptive hang-tag and no other attached information.
>
> Initial Impressions
> I have used a number of lightweight daypacks over the years, but this is the lightest I have yet carried. Surprisingly, it is also among the most fully featured, perhaps because I tend towards the minimalist in such gear. The numerous pockets have obvious potential for keeping odds and ends close to hand. The pocket high on the body looks like an excellent place to store a GPS, which will fit there with room to spare. The waistband pockets will also work for this, something I have already tested.
>
> My first move was to see if the pack is large enough to carry all the odds and ends that I use in the course of a hiking day, or otherwise carry as precautions. It is large enough, and then some. In fact, I have found that I can fit a lightweight sleeping bag (in compression sack), and a structured tarp with a pole, with room left over for jacket, cook gear, and a moderate amount of food and water, making this pack potentially adequate for overnights provided the gear used is lightweight. Given the fact that it is arriving near the beginning of winter, when heavier gear is needed for a margin of safety, I may not be able to fully test its potential for this purpose, unless we have a milder spell.
>
> Though the body of the pack is too short for the poles used in my structured tarp, they can be made to fit in diagonally by allowing them to protrude slightly from the hydration port (there is still room for the hydration tube). The website mentions the pack in conjunction with Terra Nova's very lightweight Laser Photon Elite tent, which (in conjunction with the mention of "one or two day events" on the hang-tag) leads me to think that it may be designed for more than day trips.
>
> This is a pack of rather complex design, very well executed. The quality of manufacture is impressive; no loose threads, superbly sewn. When filled, the main body is approximately teardrop in shape, constructed from a fabric barely heavier than silnylon, although with a sturdier nylon base. It fits me well, despite the fact that I am by no means skinny. With the shoulder straps near full length, the waistbelt sits a bit higher than is customary, but this isn't likely to be an issue for a pack intended for such light loads (or so I hope) For carrying in this manner (rather than higher on my body) I may need to reposition the chest strap; the shoulder straps have provision for this adjustment, with at least four loops for adjusting the chest strap position.
>
>
> The bottle pockets are quite low in volume, clearly designed for a soda bottle or equivalent. The hydration sleeve in the interior of the back is large enough to take a fairly large bladder of Platypus type, so I will likely be using bottles, but periodically refilling them from the bladder within, or simply using a hydration tube from the interior, weather permitting.
>
> The mesh pockets are sizable enough to fit a windshirt or even a low volume insulated piece, and still have room for some snacks. The hipbelt pockets, which have neat tabbed string pulls (as do all the zips and cords), look handy for low-volume essentials, or even a spare pair of socks. The compression system is fairly standard of its kind; a thin elasticized cord passes through a number of triangular urethane tabs outfitted with holes, and is tightened by use of a cord-lock. From past experience, I know that I need to be careful of projecting cords, which can snag on brush. I was interested to see an extra set of the urethane tabs with holes near the top of the zip, which would seem to allow for the attachment of a piece of lightweight gear with a thin cord.
>
>
> The pack is completely frameless, and most of the rear is lined with mesh to enhance breathability. It is far too small for a Z-Rest or similar pad to be used inside for structure, but this is just fine in a daypack, or for that matter an overnight pack carried with a light load. When folded down into a ball, the pack will just fit in the pocket of the jacket I am wearing as I write this (one that I often wear on the trail).
>
> From preliminary wearing (just around the house and yard), the pack seems very comfortable indeed, even with a fairly full load. It hugs my body well, without any swaying or play. It looks perfectly adequate for winter dayhikes on trail, cross-country skiing, and a wide range of similar activities, I will report on my experiences in the coming months.
>
>
> This concludes my initial report on the Laser 20 L pack. I sincerely thank Terra Nova and Backpackgeartest for the opportunity to test this interesting piece of lightweight gear.
>
> This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 2.
>

I enjoy walking in all its forms, from a simple stroll in the woods to multi-day backpack excursions. Though by no means an extreme ultra-light enthusiast, from spring to fall my preference is to carry a pack weight (before food and water) of 12 lb (5.5 kg), more or less. In recent years, I've rapidly moved to a philosophy of "lighter is better," within the constraints of budget and common sense.

Receipt
The pack was received in good order. It has one descriptive hang-tag outlining the main features, and no other attached information (nor did I feel further explanation was required).

Initial Impressions
I have used a number of lightweight daypacks over the years, but this is, I believe, the lightest I have yet carried. Surprisingly, it is also the most fully featured, although that may be because I usually tend towards minimalism in such gear. The numerous pockets have obvious potential for keeping odds and ends close to hand. The pocket high on the body looks like an excellent place to store a working GPS, which will fit there with room to spare. The waistband pockets will also work for this, something I have also already tested.

My first move was to see if the pack is large enough to carry all the odds and ends (a significant amount) that I use in the course of a hiking day, or otherwise carry as precautions. It is indeed large enough, and then some. In fact, I have found that I can fit a lightweight sleeping bag (in compression sack), and a structured tarp with a pole, with room left over for jacket, cook gear, plus a moderate amount of food and water (though no pad, unless fully inflatable). It seems to me, based on my preliminary observations, that this pack is potentially adequate for mild weather overnights, provided the gear used is lightweight. Unfortunately. given the fact that it is arriving near the beginning of winter, when heavier gear is needed for a margin of safety, I may not be able to fully test its potential for this purpose, unless we have a spell of warmer temperatures.

Though the body of the pack is too short for the poles used in my structured tarp, they can be made to fit in diagonally by allowing them to protrude slightly from one of the two hydration ports. The website mentions the pack in conjunction with Terra Nova's very lightweight Laser Photon Elite tent, which (in conjunction with the mention of "one or two day events" on the hang-tag) leads me to think that this pack is designed for more than day trips, albeit with lightweight or ultralight gear.

This is a pack of a rather complex design, very well executed. The quality of manufacture is impressive; no loose threads, superbly sewn. When filled, the main body is approximately teardrop in shape, constructed from a fabric barely heavier than silnylon, although with a sturdier nylon base. It fits me well, despite the fact that I am by no means skinny. With the shoulder straps near full length, the waistbelt sits a bit higher than is customary, but this isn't likely to be an issue for a pack intended for such light loads (or so I hope) For carrying in this manner (rather than higher on my body) I may need to reposition the chest strap; the shoulder straps have provision for this adjustment, with at least four loops for adjusting the chest strap position.

The bottle pockets are quite low in volume, clearly designed for a soda bottle or equivalent. The hydration sleeve in the interior of the back is large enough to take a fairly sizable bladder of Platypus type, so I will likely be using bottles, but periodically refilling them from the bladder within, or simply using a hydration tube from the interior, weather permitting. Access to the main body of the pack is via a full-length central water-resistant zipper.

The mesh pockets are large enough to fit a windshirt or even a low volume insulated piece, and still have room for some snacks. The hipbelt pockets, which have neat tabbed string pulls (as do all the zips and cords), look handy for low-volume essentials, or even a spare pair of socks. The compression system is fairly standard of its kind; a thin elasticized cord passes through a number of triangular urethane tabs outfitted with holes, and is tightened by use of a cord-lock. From past experience, I know that I need to be careful of such projecting cords, which can snag on brush. I was interested to see an extra set of the urethane tabs with holes near the top of the zip, which would seem to allow for the attachment of a piece of lightweight gear with a thin cord.

The pack is completely frameless, and most of the rear is lined with mesh to enhance breathability. It is far too small for a Z-Rest or similar pad to be used inside for structure, but this is just fine in a daypack, or for that matter an overnight pack carried with a light load. When folded down into a ball, the pack will just fit in the pocket of the jacket I am wearing as I write this (one that I often wear on the trail).

The image at the head of this report shows the Laser 20 with a fairly full winter load, including a sleeping bag, down jacket, shell, thermos, first aid kit, etc. It carries comfortably, and there is still some unused space. No crampons are included. From preliminary wearing the pack seems very comfortable indeed, even with a fairly full load like this one. It hugs my body well, without any swaying or play. It looks perfectly adequate for winter dayhikes on trail, cross-country skiing, and a wide range of similar activities. I will report on my experiences in the coming months.

This concludes my initial report on the Laser 20 L pack. I sincerely thank Terra Nova and Backpackgeartest for the opportunity to test this interesting piece of lightweight gear.

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 2.

gdm320

Hey Ted, Only one edit, so I ll see you in a few months! They follow in the usual convention. Unfortunately. given the fact that it is arriving near the [EDIT]

Message 4 of 5
, Nov 6, 2009

0 Attachment

Hey Ted,

Only one edit, so I'll see you in a few months! They follow in the usual convention.

Unfortunately. given the fact that it is arriving near the
[EDIT] There is a period after "Unfortunately". I believe you intended a comma?

Greg M

Edward

Thanks Greg, Corrected and uploaded. I also added the cu in conversion, as requested in the thread on Carol s review. Best, Ted

Message 5 of 5
, Nov 7, 2009

0 Attachment

Thanks Greg,

Corrected and uploaded. I also added the cu in conversion, as requested in the thread on Carol's review.

Best,

Ted

--- In backpackgeartesters@yahoogroups.com, "gdm320" <gdm320@...> wrote:
>
> Hey Ted,
>
> Only one edit, so I'll see you in a few months! They follow in the usual convention.
>
> Unfortunately. given the fact that it is arriving near the
> [EDIT] There is a period after "Unfortunately". I believe you intended a comma?
>
> Greg M
>

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